I have found the writing for this to be rather juvenile, and I think the author has tried too hard to make this more comedy than romance. It felt overly cheesy in so many ways, and it made it hard to read.

Thank you, St Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the advanced copy.

This book was chaos from the start. Once we got past the slow and confusing beginning, the characters were just there. The blurb had potential; unfortunately, the novel just flopped.

Hate to Fake It to You is a romcom that didn't quite hit the mark for me. I loved the setting of Oahu, but it just took too long to get into the story and then once in, I was ready for it to be over. Lillibet is living a lie as an online influencer, and one lie leads to another when it became hard to tell what was really real. There are some funny moments, but overall I think it tried too hard to be funny. I'll be happy to give Amanda Sellet another try.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

This book was a wild ride. Everyone is pretending to be someone they’re not and it gets messy very quickly. I liked the personalities of the different characters and now I want to explore the world of expensive and fancy plumbing. It also made me want to go to Hawaii and hit up all the food spots there.

Only made it to 15%. I found this so hard to follow. I couldn’t figure out which character was which, I couldn’t follow what has happening. By starting off with the “Lillibet” posts I was thrown off. I’m not sure if it’s just me or the writing style that’s making it this way. The premise seemed cute but if I’m not connecting to the story or characters by a few chapters in the I have to DNF.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the ARC.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. There were a lot of pacing issues initially and it took me so long to get into the story that I had almost considered not finishing the book. There was also a cast of colorful characters that were beyond ostentatious and they kept distracting me from the plot of the book. Which leads me to my third point - if there is one trope I absolutely hate, it is a miscommunication trope. And this one had one so stupidly simple that it was almost painful to read about these characters disagreement.

Overall, this book needs a lot of work and I wish it had been better than it was because I really liked the premise.

Hate to Fake It to You had such great promise but it just felt like it didn’t deliver on it. It felt like it started out much too slowly to really get the reader invested, and then had a hard time conveying the chemistry between the couple. The plot should have been ripe for hijinks and drama, but it all just didn’t quite hit. The mishaps felt more cringe than humorous, and I just couldn’t find myself getting behind the main couple. Unfortunately, this reader just couldn’t get invested and didn’t love the book. It was too slow to really get my attention and I found myself skimming over parts just to get to the good part, which ended up not feeling satisfying. Wish I could say I loved it :(

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I almost did not finish this book after reading the first few chapters but am happy that I stuck it out. It’s not because the first few chapters are bad per se, more so that Libby’s chapters at the start are quite boring. I mostly skipped the intro/”Instagram” portion of all the chapters as, while I understood the goal of the posts, it got highly repetitive for a large portion of the novel. I really enjoyed the banter and the dialogue in this book which had funny one liners that had me laughing out loud, and some of the awkward situations had me smiling as well (I knew the Irish housekeeper bit would probably be a bit cringe-inducing to most, but I did laugh at it). However, I didn’t like any of the characters as neither the friendships nor the romance was very fleshed out. I didn’t feel a connection to the main characters, and I didn’t believe in their connection with each other which is what made this book falter for me. Otherwise, it was pretty easy and quick read.

This was cute, but I really did not like the central conflict of this book, or the main characters. When miscommunication or withholding of information was the main conflict through the entire book, that just isn’t going to be for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Hate to Fake it You really lives up to it’s title. I struggled reading this one. It felt fast faced, over the top, and too much going on in one story for my liking. I do appreciate the author’s heart behind writing this novel and the backdrop being her home of Hawaii. That resonated with me when you create something in homage to your hometown growing up. I wish there were more scenes that brought the reader to Hawaii or on it’s sandy beaches. That would have made it the perfect beach read! Instead we only got a handful of beach scenes and a whole lot of unnecessary drama. I really struggled connecting to any of the characters and had a hard time justifying the friendship between Libby and Jean. Jean justifies lying and betrayal for profit, but then points the blame to Libby when the act falls apart, but then comes back to be her friend again? Eh, not the best relationship to put out there when so many people struggle to make and keep friends.

DNF at 28%

Generally speaking I don't DNF and when I do I try to get to 50% but Hate to Fake It to You by Amanda Sellet is simply too far fetched for me to enjoy. The premise is unique and I like the play on making fun of influencers, but within a minute of Hildy and Jackson arriving to the mansion the ridiculousness with this cast of characters went entirely too out of sorts to ever bring back. From Jean's ridiculousness of trying to be Irish to Rudy's obsessions with bathrooms, to not knowing how Keoki fit into the equation, the entirely unrealistic nature of it all became too zany. I realize this is supposed to be a romantic comedy, and for some people they'll find this level of ridiculousness funny and endearing, but I have a strong dislike of dumb humor and Hate to Fake It to You is choked full of dumb humor.

Thank you SMP Romance for the gifted ARC.

This is a good first attempt at an adult novel. The story is told mainly in the first person from the perspective of main character. The plot is a little spongy but will still fulfill the main pieces of the story. Overall it is a romance story that ends well.

This book sounded really cute, a Hawaiian setting and a girl faking being an influencer, but it fell flat for me. I struggled to connect to the main characters and found the romance in the book lacked any depth and connection. I did enjoy all the Hawaiian food and culture references and the idea of the story though. If you are looking for a light quick beach read, this book might be for you. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

Having written two YA romantic comedy books, Amanda has decided to give her writing chops a new target, dipping her toes into adult fiction by taking on her first classic romance (think Golden Age of Hollywood) and humorous fiction combo. Channeling the essence of "Christmas in Connecticut," Amanda ties in her love of Oahu and her appreciation of the cinematic masterpieces of the past for this laugh-out-loud, screwball comedy that begs the question: Just how far are you willing to go to make your dreams come true?

Libby Lane may not have what most covet in life—wealth, love, or a career that doesn’t leave her hating herself at the end of the night—but she does have the beauty of Oahu and wonderful friends. Friends with whom she conspired to create an online persona that was supposed to be a joke. The complete opposite of Libby in every way, "Lillibet" was her way to stick it to the rich resort guests she served, taking inspiration from overheard conversations and curating the most nauseating affirmations and the cheesiest introspective moments, all tied beautifully together with recipes from her friend Keoki and photos from her bestie Jean. It was just supposed to be an outlet, a harmless way to burn off some animosity. It wasn’t supposed to garner attention, especially from an influencer who, after a near-death experience, was determined to meet her “real-life inspiration” up close and personal. Along with Jefferson, the wildlife photographer who saved her life, Hildy declares that she needs to celebrate Me-mas with Lillibet to recover from her harrowing ordeal. Suddenly sucked into one of Jean’s brilliant ideas before she can realize what is happening, Libby finds herself in Lillibet’s home with a "husband", two goats, and one heck of a lie. Trying to keep up the farce while maintaining her sanity, Libby has to find a way to get the job of her dreams from her surprise guest without ruining it all by falling for a certain photographer who can somehow see the real her.

Lighthearted, delightfully humorous, and refreshingly clean, "Hate To Fake It To You" is a wonderful look at just how far someone is willing to go to get what they want out of life. The characters created by Amanda were either individuals you loved to hate (and yes, even then, Uncle Richard and Mr. L had their redeeming qualities) or hated to love (Hildy completely stole the attention in this book, and Jean, while harsh at times, had me cracking up!).

I will say, as much as I wanted to find the humor in the LoveLillibet posts, I have to admit some of them may actually resonate with readers. I felt in those moments, more of Libby slipped out than she intended. The one that comes to mind referred to finding the fun in what you do for work or turning something you love to do (like a hobby) into a business. I can see how, on a superficial level, some would think “easier said than done,” but for many who work to live instead of live to work, finding the fun would be a sunshine among storm clouds.

When I originally wrote this review, my biggest concern was the label “contemporary romance” that was being placed on it. Having taken a moment to download the Reading Guide (which contained an author letter) on Amanda’s website, my perspective has completely shifted. I now understand: 1) she essentially retold "Christmas in Connecticut," 2) her approach was more of the romantic comedy approach of the classics (and as a huge fan of Cary Grant, Jack Lemmon, and William Powell, I can appreciate that), and 3) taking that into consideration, her angle was more of the “screwball” romantic comedy of antics and anecdotes rather than the modern-day take on contemporary romances. All of this changed what would have been a three-star review to a four (potentially five, depending on how the subsequent books play out, but more on that below).

Hildy, Uncle Richard, and Mr. L took so much attention with their larger-than-life personalities that Jefferson, Libby, Jean, and Keoki became background characters to their own stories. While this may not be a bad thing, it did make it seem as if the connection between Libby and Jefferson was a B-story, almost an afterthought that was sprinkled throughout but wasn’t the primary focus until three-fourths of the way in. Again, now having read Amanda's letter, I understand the writer's approach was a homage to the classics, so it makes sense when you look at it from that perspective. My concern is that for those who aren’t aware of Amanda's author letter, their first impression will be the same as my initial one.

Again, and I can’t emphasize this enough, the author letter is what saved this review. Initially, I didn’t care for the way the book ended. This was a slow-burn romance that focused more on the antics between the three friends and secondary characters than it did on the female and male protagonists. Now, having read the letter, I understand this will be a three-book series. With this knowledge, it may explain why there were so many loose ends. I guess we will have to wait for Book Two to find out as I can’t find anything on it outside of what she references in her letter.

As her debut adult novel, "Hate to Fake It To You" was a lot of fun to read, even if it had its peaks and valleys which may cause the attention of the reader to ebb and flow. Showing true admiration for the beaches and beauty of Oahu, even if the overall story didn’t captivate its audience, the breathtaking description of the surroundings, the mouth-watering cuisines shared, and the general atmosphere provided demonstrates just how talented Sellet is in bringing a place to life.

Hate to Fake It to You is not your typical romcom, and I think that made it even better.

I will say I did struggle initially to get into the swing of this book, but the promising premise and the immediately endearing characters kept me in until things really got going.
This book was so funny and silly in a refreshing way. I laughed out loud many times while reading this. I enjoyed the little bit of fun it poked at social media influencers. The found family aspect was very sweet and heartwarming.
The romance was unexpected and the fake dating trope x2 was really fun, especially considering Libby’s fake husband was such a character. The ending was a cute HEA I really thought came together well for everyone.

I thought this was a fun, chaotic and non traditional romcom and I had a great time reading it. The author also has a couple of other works I’m interested in checking out!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Griffin, and the author for this ARC.
Publication date 7/16/24

3-3.5 stars, but I may end up coming back and rounding up.

My feelings are decidedly mixed on this one, and I once again find myself wishing Goodreads and NetGalley both allowed for fractions of stars. This book was a rollercoaster full of ups and downs for me in terms of what I was enjoying and what I wasn’t.

The good: there were parts early on that genuinely made me laugh out loud. Jean in particular had some hilarious moments while masquerading as Libby’s ‘housekeeper’ that I was thoroughly entertained by. I also liked that even though Libby was pretending to live a different life, it felt like she tried her best to show Jefferson her true self in the moments they got alone. I appreciated the ultimate message that authenticity is going to form more real connections with people more than a carefully curated highlight reel.

As for the parts I struggled more with, it felt like at times there was SO much going on. While the situations were funny at times, I was ready for something real at other times when it seemed as if the circus act was being dragged out. Mr. L side shenanigans felt mostly pointless to me. I also feel like there was a whole side story of Jean having a secret teased that had zero payoff. I don’t know if this is intended to be a series—it didn’t read that way to me—so I felt left hanging there.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC !

I love a good romance, and the premise for this one really spoke to me.

Unfortunately, Hate to Fake It To You was not for me. I couldn't get into it, and it just felt like too much was going, I also struggled to get invested in these characters.

This is a fun summer read and I could tell it was very much a tribute to Hawaii. Overall, I didn’t think the book had great characters, and their chemistry was a bit lagging. There were several sections that were slow and dragging for me. The banter was great, and the setting was fun, but this one wasn’t for me.

Unfortunately this one was not for me. It was too any and over the top. The way the main characters spoke was really off putting to me right from the outset and didn’t improve.

I enjoyed Hate to Fake It to You more than many others did, apparently, though there were some significant flaws.

Lillibet is a lifestyle influencer who catches the attention of socialite and wannabe media mogul Hildy. The only problem? Lillibet doesn’t actually exist: She’s a character invented by underemployed Libby and her friends, Jean and Keoki. But Hildy, fresh off her dramatic rescue from a snowstorm, is headed to “Lillibet”’s Hawaiian beach house, where Libby hopes she’ll agree to hire her as a lifestyle writer. But when Hildy arrives with her hot rescuer, Jefferson, in tow, Libby’s fake lifestyle (and fake husband) feels like an impossible facade to uphold.

Libby and Jefferson, as a romantic pairing, are fine, though Jefferson could have been a carbon copy of any number of MMC from outdoor-ish romances. It was helpful that even though Libby was lying about being Lillibet, her personality with Jefferson was clearly always herself (so we know he falls for the real her). The side characters, however, were a serious detraction. I loathed Jean, didn’t understand “Lillibet”’s “husband” Mr. L or any of his motivations, and Hildy’s Uncle Richard was a collection of annoying stereotypes. However, this story tiptoes up to the line on one of my pet peeves: Portraying journalists as having a flexible relationship with the truth. Libby wants to be a features writer – great! – and there’s nothing inherently wrong with creating a character online (certainly, plenty of influencers do it). But where the lines blurred, I get uncomfortable.

Come for a send-up of influencer culture and escapist Hawaiian luxury.
Endure lots of over-the-top hijinks and weird characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.